Forever
by Gemini Star01
Summary: A (long) one-shot Takari AU. The DigiDestined are at war with each other, and thier brothers force T.K. and Kari apart. Will theyfin each other again, or go down the tragic road?


Yes yes, I am well aware that I have the worse excuse in the world for Tai and Matt fighting, but gimme a break. I wrote this thing when I was ten, the fact that I still have it is impressive. Lots of Takari, a bit of Sorato and just a hint of Taimi (or is that Michi? I dunno, there's only a little) Also, this is a very AU fic, and not everybody seams to be in character for some parts, but live with me. Added, this is very much based on Romeo and Juliet (I didn't mean it that way…It just happened) And please, if you really don't like the fic, just constructive criticism, don't flame me.

****

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. I do, however, own several very nice Digimon cosplays to use on Halloween and a large plushy in the shape of Biomon.

~ * ~ * ~

MaloMyotismon had been defeated and was gone forever. Both the Digital and the Real Worlds were safe at last. Humans and Digimon alike lived calmly, and in the course of three years, every human had their own Digimon partner. And life was peaceful. That is, until trouble broke out among the DigiDestined.

Tai, the leader and a proposed general, and Matt, his popular second-in-command, became locked in a fierce argument. It soon turned to fist fights and riots as each leader received followers. Sora, Ken, Yolei, and Joe sided with Matt while Davis, Cody, Izzy and Mimi joined Tai. And along with them came almost all of the human and Digimon population. But two DigiDestined tried to stay neutral.

These two were T.K. and Kari. They tried to stay out of it, tried to keep the DigiDestined together, but their brothers pulled them apart. Kari was made to side with Tai and T.K. was forced to join Matt. But they tried to keep in touch, even when the fight turned into an all-out war. And now, a year into the fight, is where our story begins...

****

Forever

"Miss Kari!' Carnia Sharka called, her blonde hair shaking with every step as she crashed through the woods. "Where are you?"

"Don't tell me she ran off _again_." her African-American associate Tanya Dennely muttered, exasperated.

The 19-year-old Russian DigiDestined sighed. They'd been watching Tai's little sister Kari for about three months and this was the fourth time she had run off. This job was getting harder by the minute. "We have to find her."

They began to search the forest around the heavily protected home base. They search for about five minutes, spilt up, and searched for ten minutes more.

"Carina!" Tanya cried, "I found her!"

Carnia rushed to where the voice came from, her hand ready to grab the small laser blaster that hung at her hip. She crashed through some bushes and emerged into a clearing full of flowers in every shape, color, size and beauty, each with its own unique and calming smell. There, sitting in the middle, was a young girl of 15. Carnia sighed, her tensed mussels relaxing. "Miss Kari, what are you doing here?"

"Just looking at the flowers." the young girl said dreamily.

"Well come along now." Tanya said, pulling the girl up by her arm, "Your brother is expecting you for dinner."

Kari sighed as her assistants led her away. No one noticed as she casually tossed a large pink flower into a bush as they passed.

T.K. stood up out of the bush as soon as the coast was clear. He took a deep wiff of the flower Kari had tossed him. Dressed in light armor and long cape, he looked like a prince. Kari looked like a princess as well, with her pink and white dress that so well fit her delicate frame.

He turned and walked a few steps into the forest. He climbed onto the armor Digimon behind him. "Come on, Pegausmon." he sighed, "Let's get home."

~ * ~ * ~

Kari leaned on the balcony outside her bedroom. It overlooked the digital ocean. She sighed. She was always treated like a princess. And she sincerely hated it.

She longed for the days before the fight. When she wasn't followed around all the time. When she wasn't watched 24/7. When she didn't have to run away to see _him._ She'd long since realized her feelings for him were oh so much more than friendly.

The fights had started so gradually, no one thought that it would ever get to this level. It used to be just disputes and angry words, stern glares and loud yells. It used to be that Tai and Matt would threaten to strangle each other and the others pulled them apart. What had happened?

Then the others started to fight. Izzy and Joe started it, they didn't mean to, they just did. Then Sora and Mimi had a fight. Then even Ken and Davis couldn't stand it anymore. The two halves had drifted apart, despite everyone's attempts not too. The DNA teams were separated for good, and the Digimon had lost all but half their strength. But that was fine. This war was not fought with monsters or special attacks. This new war was fought the old-fashioned way: With weapons and hand-to-hand combat. Swords were used between them on close-range. Laser guns used in retreating, far-off or ambush.

Kari and T.K. had tried their best to talk some sense into their brothers, but the two would hear none of it and forbade them to be anywhere near each other. _"Stay away from him."_ Tai always said. _"It's too dangerous."_

At that moment she just happened to glance down. There, hovering about two feet down and getting closer, was a boy on a golden horse-like Digimon.

"T.K.!" she whispered. She was happy to see him. It had been two weeks since they'd last met in the forest. But she was worried, too. "What are you doing so close to the base? If Tai or Carnia or Tanya find you here they'll…"

T.K. was now close enough to put his finger on her lips, silencing her instantly. "I had to see you again."

She smiled. "Oh, T.K."

The couple stood there for several minutes, talking quietly and enjoying each other's company. Occasionally, T.K. would touch her hand in a gentle manner, and she would blush and play hard to get, pulling her hand away with a giggle. 

A voice sounded out from beyond the door. "Kari!"

"It's Davis!" Kari gasped, "Get out of here, T.K.!"

He paused for only a moment to quickly pull out a white rose from his sleeve and set it in her hands. Then he and Pegausmon headed off into the darkness.

Davis knocked on the door. "Come in." a gentle voice called from inside.

Davis stepped into the large bedroom. Kari sat on her bed, Gatomon curled up next to her. As second-in-command of this army, he looked as princely as T.K. did. He flashed a nice smile, but Kari didn't seam to notice much. She was just preoccupied by something else.

Davis strode across the room and presented her with a pink carnation. "For you."

She took the flower. "Thank you." She muttered, then set it on the table.

Davis cocked his head. "What's the matter? Don't you like it?"

Kari was acting kind of strange, She was to distracted to talk to him. Davis muttered something under his breath, then left. Kari sighed and looked at T.K.'s rose, which she had put in a vase. "_Too dangerous my foot." _she thought.

She concentrated so hard she didn't noticed some on was behind her until they said, "Ready for bed?"

Kari jumped a foot and turned to find Mimi. She was still Mimi, but had changed a lot. Instead of designer clothes, she now wore a kind of armor that all the girls wore **(A/N-think along the lines of Xenia, Warrior Princess)**. One of the laser guns hung at her hip. She had been charged with helping Kari as much as possible, between battles, meetings, training, and raids on enemy camps. "I'm ready."

Mimi came over. She was the most mothering in the camp, Sora being with Matt. She spotted the rose. "Where'd you get the flower?"

"Oh, just an admirer." Kari sighed.

Mimi smiled. Even though she was a warrior, she had never liked the fight very much. And she knew that Kari thought about T.K. a lot, but she never told Tai. She kept hoping that the war would be over and they could be together. After all, she had a good friend on the other side too. But now she sighed. "You know your brother just wants to keep you safe," she said, "So do him a favor and stay in the base area."

****

~ * ~ * ~

"We have to attack." Arcadian, Matt's blonde haired second-in-command said, "They're planning a raid on us any day now."

T.K. was listening at the window of the conference room. And he was worried. This didn't sound good. "What do you mean" Matt asked.

"They know where we are. And they will try to attack us."

"We will not go on a suspicion." Matt said firmly.

"Sure. Of course. If you want to be Mr. Righteous about it." Arcadian said, sitting down.

T.K. moved away. He had arranged to meet Kari in their usual spot that day. He climbed onto Pegausmon and flew off.

****

~ * ~ * ~

Kari listened at the door of Tai's war conference. "The time is now." Sacota insisted, "We must fight them head on."

"It's a foolish risk." Izzy insisted. "We have lost too many."

"And so have they." argued Sacota.

Tai rubbed his chin, looking more like a wise old man than one just barely in his twenties. "Meeting aground." he said, "We will discuss this later."

Kari moved away and headed down the hall. She ran carefully to where she was to meet T.K. But she wasn't careful enough. Davis spotted her turning the corner and decided to follow.

****

~ * ~ * ~

Kari stepped into the clearing to find T.K. already there. "This can't go on." she said, "The war is getting more and more pointless."

"I know." he sighed, "Matt was discussing whether or not to attack."

"So was Tai."

They stood there for a minute. Kari suddenly had a brainstorm. "What if we could talk to them?"

"No way." T.K. said fiercely, "Matt would never listen. He'd throw you in jail without giving it a second thought."

Kari thought for a second. Then, an idea came to her. Almost like a flash back. It was Tai, saying something he had told her after one battle where they had lost too much more than they had gained. _"I kind of wish, sometimes, that things could go back to how they used to be…Back when we didn't have to fight so much…"_

"Tai would listen!" Kari exclaimed, "He practically told me so himself!"

"I don't know…"

"Well I do!" Kari gripped T.K.'s hands in hers. "Please, T.K., please! We have to talk to them!"

T.K. looked at her hopeful face. He sighed. "All right. I'll do it."

"Oh, T.K.!"

Kari jumped, threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips passionately to his. T.K. was astonished at first, but eased into the idea and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Kari!"

Davis had been following Kari, but got a little lost. But he had peaked through the bushes just in time to see T.K. and Kari locked in a lover's kiss.

Half-full of jealousy and half-full of worry that T.K. was trying to trick her, he jumped up and flung himself at the other boy They were now rolling on the ground.

"Davis! Get off! I don't want to fight you!" T.K. groaned, rolling out from under him.

Davis lunged at him again. "Davis, get away from him!" Kari shrieked, trying to pull him off from behind.

Davis knocked her hands back. While he was distracted, T.K. slid out from under him again. "What is your problem?" he demanded as Davis lunged at him again.

T.K. knew he had to fight back, so he threw his whole shoulder into a single blow and caught Davis in the stomach, sending him flying and landing in a heap on the ground. Davis flipped open his watch to reveal a small, red button linked directly to the base. He pressed it, then lunged back into the fight again.

~ * ~ * ~

An alarm went off in the fortress. Tai, Cody and Mimi crowded around Izzy and his control panel. "Enemies on the grounds!" Izzy cried, "It's Davis and he needs back up!"

They located where the signal had come from. "Get some soldiers in here in here now!" Tai called, "We're going after them!"

****

~ * ~ * ~

Back in the clearing, T.K. and Davis were still fighting. Davis managed to throw T.K. onto his back, pinning his arms down with his knees. "Davis! Cut it out!" Kari cried, trying desperately to pull his hands from around T.K.'s neck.

Davis released for a moment and knocked Kari away. T.K. took his moment of distraction to push him off, but Davis lunged again.

T.K. sighed. "I don't really want to do this, Davis, but you leave me no other choice."

He threw Davis over his shoulder and into a tree, not quite hurting him but making him kind of woozy. Footsteps and voices suddenly sounded out from the forest behind them. "It's Tai and the others!" Kari gasped.

"Come on!"

T.K. grabbed her wrist and they ran in the opposite direction. Tai and the others came in seconds after they disappeared into the trees. Tai knelt by Davis. "Are you okay?" he asked his second in command.

"I'm fine." Davis muttered, standing up unsteadily, "But he's got Kari!"

He pointed off in the direction the young couple had fled in. Tai's eyes flashed with fiery anger. "After them!"

****

~ * ~ * ~

Kari and T.K. ran as fast as they could. Kari suddenly tripped over a root that was sticking out of the ground. She fell to the ground. "Kari, come on." T.K. begged.

"No! Run!" Kari told him, sitting up. "They'll hurt you, not me. Keep going!"

T.K. wouldn't take no for an answer. He grabbed her wrist and they ran.

Tai's troops were on their tail. They could hear the voices as they dogged trees and rocks, breath racing with every step they took.

The footsteps soon faded away, into the distance. They stepped into a clearing. A rocky cliff was in front of the two. "I think…we lost them." T.K. gasped.

He'd spoken too soon. With a crash, all around them appeared soldiers, making a line between them. "T.K., run!" Kari cried as they pulled her out of his grasp.

Tai stepped out next to her. "Seize him." he ordered.

Two soldiers came from behind T.K. and grabbed his arms, forcing them behind his back. T.K. didn't even struggle. "Disarm him." Tai ordered curtly.

The two searched T.K. over. They removed the belt that held his small laser pistol and a knife, tossing it to Tai. Nothing else was on him.

Kari tried to push her way through to him, but Tanya and Carnia blocked her way. Tai broke through the line of guards, and everything was silent and motionless. Tai merely looked T.K. up and down, walking in front of him in deep thought. He looked quite intimidating, with that death glare on his face.

He stood like that for a few minutes, although it felt like hours. He then moved forward and grabbed T.K. by the chin, forcing his face upwards so he could look his captive straight in the eye, ignoring his sister's pleas from behind. T.K. looked back at him with those eyes. The eyes that had always been sparkled with glimmers of hope, love and trust and were now clouded with worry, stress and pain. "Take him away." Tai said, turning so he wouldn't have to see those eyes.

T.K.'s arms were bound behind him with heavy rope and he was dragged back towards the fort. Kari moved forward. "No! T.K.!"

He flashed her a small smile as they passed as if to tell her that everything would be okay. But she knew he was just trying to make her feel better. As the guards shoved him past, Kari lunged at them and knocked the gaurds off. They were afraid to hurt the little sister of Tai.

She desperately tried to untie the ropes, or at least undo them so they weren't cutting so deep into his skin. 

"What are you doing, Kari?" T.K. hissed. He could hear Tai stomping forward behind them.

"I don't want you to get hurt!" Kari whispered back, holding in tears as she tried to loosen his bonds. 

Tai was almost close enough to wrench Kari away. T.K.'s hand suddenly reached back and grabbed her wrist. "Listen to me, Kari." he whispered, "I will not have you getting into trouble for my sake. I will be fine. Now go!"

She broke away like he asked, but not before giving him a small kiss on the cheek. She watched quietly as they disappeared into the forest.

Tai stared off as T.K. and his captors vanished. The boy had crossed the lines. Tai couldn't do a thing. And he didn't want to. He turned to the others still in the clearing. "He must've ridden in on something. Search the woods for any unfamiliar Digimon."

The soldiers disappeared into the trees. Kari looked fearfully up at her brother. "What are you going to do to him?" she asked timidly.

"He is a prisoner of war." Tai said shortly, not looking at her. "And we shall treat him as one."

"I see…" Kari muttered and she followed her brother quietly. She was almost afraid to ask. "He's…important enough for ransom, isn't he?"

"Yes." Kari felt relieved. That didn't mean T.K.'d be treated fairly, but he wouldn't suffer. Tai was glaring so hard his eyes were barely slits. "However…At this point, ransom is not an option."

Kari stopped suddenly. She knew far too well what that meant. "Tai…You can't be serious!"

"I'm dead serious." Tai stopped as well and glared at his sister.

"B-But…But he's our friend!"

"He is on their side, and thus must be eliminated."

"You can't!" she cried, "I-I won't let you!"

Tai turned to her. He looked at her for a moment, then said sternly, "It happens at sun up tomorrow morning. But you will not see it. You are not to leave the fortress without an accompany again." 

"But…But…"

"And furthermore," his voice was rising slightly. "You are not to go near this forest ever again!"

"Tai! You don't understand!"

"What I understand," he raged, "Is that you have been fraternizing with the enemy…"

"Enemy! This is T.K. we're talking about Tai!"

"ENOUGH!"

He grabbed her arm forcefully and began pulling her back to the fort. Tears splashed down her cheeks. 

He didn't even care.

~ * ~ * ~

A large, four-legged Digimon flew to a window of the dark fortress. A figure, in a long, black cloak that blended in with the night sky, rode on its back. The figure climbed silently into the window of the high prison tower.

T.K. lay there, fast asleep with his hands tied behind his back to a wooden pole. The cloaked figure shook him awake. "What?" he asked, confused.

"Sh." the figure whispered, pulling down the hood, "It's me."

"Kari!" T.K. gasped, "But what-"

Kari silenced him by pressing her lips to his. As he sat there in shock, she went behind him and pulled out a knife. She carefully cut threw the ropes, making sure not to accidentally slice his hand or wrist.

T.K. was soon free. He looked at his newly-unbound hands and back up at her. "What…what are you doing, Kari?" he asked her.

"I've made a decision." she said, climbing out the window onto Nefertimon's back. "I'm coming with you."

__

"What?"

"You heard me." she said, staring at him from her place on the Digimon's back. "Now come on. Pegausmon managed to get away. He's waiting."

T.K. got onto Nefertimon. They flew down to where his armor Digimon was waiting. He switched to his back. The whole time, he was thinking. "Where are we going?"

"Back to wherever Matt is." Kari whispered as they flew along. "We can stay there."

They were far enough now that they could talk in regular voices. "Matt would have you captured, locked up, and under high security with out even giving it a second thought." T.K. told her, "And anyway, it's late and we need to rest. Let's stop in that clearing down there."

They landed and the DigiDestined rolled onto the grass. They soon had a fire started. The two kids lay back on the grassy hill together, staring up at the stars. 

"Hey T.K.?"

"Hm?"

  
"Remember when we used to do this every night, back when we first went to the Digital world?"

T.K. nodded and began to fall asleep. The last thing he thought before he dropped off was how much he had missed doing this with her.

~ * ~ * ~

Day light came very soon. T.K. stood up and looked at his newly re-acclaimed partner. Kari removed the protective cloak. Underneath was something T.K. had never expected to see her wearing.

It was the same kind of armor Mimi wore. A small laser blaster and the knife she had used to cut him free hung on the belt around her waist. She looked fierce. She looked powerful. 

She looked beautiful.

"That…that looks amazing."

Kari blushed and got down to business. "Tai and Matt are meeting on the field of battle. And this time it sounds like it'll be all out anyone's game. We've got to stop them."

T.K. had been thinking a long time about this and decided to try the road less taken. "What if we just ran off?" he suggested. "We could run away and forget everything. Let them have their fight and get over it without us."

Kari moved very close to him and took his hands. "Oh, T.K." she sighed, rubbing her cheek on his hand affectionately. "Don't you understand? If we don't do something now, they'll be enemies forever. It'll never be back to normal."

T.K. looked into her pleading eyes. And he knew he could never refuse her anything.

****

~ * ~ * ~

Tai and Matt faced off on the field of battle. Matt raised his sword. "Where's T.K.?" he demanded.

"We don't have him." Tai shot back, "What have you done with Kari?"

"We haven't touched her!"

"He's trying to trick you." Arcadian whispered in Matt's ear, "He wants you to believe he doesn't have your brother."

Sacota was whispering the same thing to Tai. Both leaders scowled at each other. "Charge!" Tai cried.

"Attack!" shouted Matt. 

The two armies raced at each other. Tai and Matt themselves were soon locked in a sword fight, neck and neck, leaning so close their noses almost touched. "You let my little brother go, you liar!" Matt demanded.

"Liar? You're the liar! Give me back my sister!"

They fought. And fought, until the two armies faced each other once again. "This is your last chance Tai!" Matt called, stabbing the air with his sword, "Release T.K.!"

"Let Kari go!" Tai snapped back, pointing his blade at Matt's chest.

They were lunging at each other, preparing to strike, when two figures got in their way. 

Kari faced Tai. T.K. looked into Matt's eyes. They stood back to back, fingers laced between them. The leaders stopped. "Kari." Tai commanded, "Move."

"This has got to stop, Tai."

"T.K.! Get out of the way!"

"You're not going to hurt Tai or Kari!" T.K. retorted, "Not while I'm around."

Their brothers were flabbergasted. Their siblings had never talked back to them like that. "Kari." Tai said, once he had regained his breath. "We have to finish this."

"Look at them, Tai." Kari begged, "Why are you fighting?"

"Get away from her, T.K." Matt said curtly. "They're not on our side."

"Matt, I don't understand how you can say that." T.K. pleaded, "You fought along side Tai and the others for so long, how can you look on them in hatred now?"

"Look around you!" Kari cried loud enough for every one to hear. "We are all DigiDestined! What differences do you see to hate each other?"

"She's right, Matt." T.K. said, standing his ground, "We are them. There is no difference."

Tai and Matt gazed around for a second. They were right. The two leaders could see the same fear and hope in each of their warrior's faces. Sora, Mimi, Davis, Cody, Joe, Ken, Izzy and Yolei stood out the most, shining like beacons on a stormy sea.

Each smiled and put down his weapon. The leaders moved around their siblings and embraced each other like the old friends they were. The war was over.

Kari and T.K. stood next to each other, smiling a happy smile. "No!" Arcadian cried, "She's a temptress! She's already gotten to him!"

He drew out his laser gun and fired three quick but deadly blasts for Kari. "Watch out!" T.K. shouted, pushing her out of the way.

Kari landed hard on the ground and stared up in horror. As she watched, a beam of hot white light went through T.K.'s right leg. The next blast went through the other leg and another, his right arm. T.K. crumpled like a paper doll.

"T.K.!" Kari shrieked as he landed in her lap, "Are you okay?'

"I'm...fine." he groaned.

Matt's eyes flashed angrily at Arcadian. "Get him!" he shouted.

_TESSEW!_ There was a sudden blast from an unknown source. T.K. let out a cry of pain and clutched at his chest, as more blood began to flow. "T.K.!" Kari cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. "No! NO! Oh good god, please, no! T.K.!"

T.K. reached slowly into his vest and removed a gorgeous, red rose, which set in her hands. A sign of true love. He raised his hand to touch her soft, warm, smooth cheek.

He let it drop. His beautiful, bright blue eyes faded and slowly closed. His body went limp. The metal skirt of Kari's armor was stained with the red from his arms and chest. The ground below him was soaked in blood.

Kari shook him again and again. "Please T.K." she begged, "Please, please wake up. Don't leave me! Please, don't die on me!"

Tai spun around in time to see Sacota about to fire on Kari again. "Grab him!"

The two villains were dragged away from the armies. Tai brushed his hair back as he glared at Sacota. "I remember now." he growled. "You're the one that told me Matt was trying to seize control."

"And you're the one who told me that Tai was planning total conflict." Matt charged Arcadian.

Tai and Matt looked at each other in surprise. "You mean you thought…" Then they stopped themselves and started over. "I never... I'm so sorry!"

Sacota and Arcadian laughed at each other. "You two are just so pathetic." Sacota laughed.

"Yes." growled Arcadian. "The dark forces had this planned the whole time…If those two little brats hadn't interfered…"

"That's enough." Tai snapped, "Get them out of our sight."

Kari cried deeply on T.K.'s chest until the torn cape was soaked in tears as well as blood. She clutched the red rose to her chest with her right hand, the left one being used to hold the boy up. 

"T.K....T.K., please, wake up." she begged him. "Please. You can't die on me. You can't leave me alone! You can't! T.K.! Please, T.K., please don't go! Please. You can't leave. I-I-I... I care so much about you! Please don't leave me, T.K.! We did it, the war's over. We can be together again. Please, T.K., you know how I feel! Please, please wake up!"

She ran her hand gently over his armor-plated chest. When she looked at it, the palm was smeared with fresh blood. She dissolved into new tears.

Their brothers ran up to them. "T.K…" Matt whispered.

Joe and his assistants came up behind them. The assistants pulled T.K. off of Kari and took the boy into a small clearing.

Joe examined T.K. for half an hour. He searched over and over, but as he walked out, his face was grim. "I-I'm sorry." he said quietly, "But...There's nothing I can do. I-I'm afraid he's... he's…" he didn't need to finish. 

Matt went numb, letting the tears stream down his cheeks. Sora tried to comfort him as tears ran down her face. Tai banged his fist on the ground while muttering, "It's my fault....If I hadn't.…" Mimi and Yolei cried together like they hadn't for years. The rest of the boys were mainly trying to hide the grief, but not all of them were doing it. But no one was more affected than Kari.

She sobbed and cried. She pushed her way to T.K.'s body and collapsed next to it. She held the limp form in her arms and clutched the rose tight to her chest. 

"Kari, I…" Tai began, but stopped. 

Mimi put her hand on his shoulder. "I think we need to leave them alone for a while." she whispered and herded the others out of the small clearing T.K.'s body was in.

Kari ran her hand through the handsome blonde hair which was now crisp with dry blood. She broke down again, sobbing onto his chest. She looked at his face lovingly. "T.K.…" she muttered.

She knew what she had to do now. She leaned forward and gave him a kiss. A kiss his cold lips would never be able return. She gently set his body back down on the grass. With one last longing glance at the dead body of the boy she loved, Kari ran into the forest.

Twenty minutes later, Mimi came back through the bushes. "Kari…" she started, but Kari wasn't there. "Oh god... Tai!"

She dove back into the bushes and prayed she was wrong.

~ * ~ * ~

"Kari! Kari, where are you?" the call rang out through the forest. "Kari!"

Tai had almost given up hope. T.K. had been killed at 7:00 AM exactly. Now it was 7:00 PM, the sun was setting in the west, but they still hadn't found Kari. But they kept searching. They had to find her.

The original DigiDestined decided to search the area around Tai's fortress as the last that day. It was the only chance they had.

"Tai! I-I found her!" Sora called.

Tai and Matt stepped through the bushes, into the small clearing filled with flowers. The one T.K. and Kari had met in. Sora stood in front of him. Her eyes were teary. "K-K-K-Kari..." she managed to gasp before the tears closed her throat. She pointed behind her and dissolved into tears on Matt's shirt.

There, on the ground, was Kari. She seamed alright. That is, until you got within about five feet from her. Tai felt his heart stop. Then it started back up again at a thousand miles an hour. 

Sticking out of his sister's chest was a knife.

The very one she had cut T.K. free with. One of her hands was still loosely around its handle. The red rose was still clutched in the other. The others stepped through. Yolei gasped and her hand flew to her mouth. Tai hurried to his sister's side. "Kari…" he felt the knife. The blood was still fresh. If only they had found her sooner!

Mimi came up behind him. "I'm sorry." she whispered.

Tai let his hands drift back down to the ground. There was a small, black square lying on the ground next to her. He picked it up. It was labeled, in familiar pink pen, TO TAI AND EVERYONE ELSE. It was a miniature holographic recorder, a resent development of Izzy's.

Tai pressed the button. Kari's holographic self appeared on it. "Hi guys." she said in her gentle voice, "By the time you read this, I'll be gone. I know you're sad for me, but I beg you not to be so upset. I'm finally happy again."

Tai smiled. He knew what she meant. "After T.K.'s death I knew I just couldn't go on. And I really didn't want to try. But I have only one small request to make, one I know T.K. would want, as well. This clearing... it just means so much to us. Our last wish that we be allowed to stay here, together. Goodbye, everyone. Goodbye, Tai." With that, she blew one last kiss to her brother, and disappeared forever.

Tai's eye filled with tears. The DigiDestined stood there and quietly cried together. Hope and Light where gone, but they were finally together again.

**EPILOGUE**

The friends and family members of Hope and Light came to the small funeral. A special place was made, in the middle of The Clearing of Flowers, as it would forevermore be called, and their bodies were buried hand in hand, their fingers laced together around the red rose he had given her as his dying act. And so the last wish of the prince and princess of the DigiDestined was granted.

And up above, the two angels of Hope and Light smiled down on their friends and loved ones, then flew hand in hand into the clouds and into happiness.


End file.
